4047: Is it permissible to rent out a disused mosque when it is not
possible to sell it?

We have a mosque in a kaafir
country where nobody goes to pray any more. The Muslims who used to live around it have
moved to other areas or have gone back to their countries. According to the system here,
we are not allowed to sell it, so is it permissible for us to rent it out to a Muslim
family?

Published Date: 1999-07-04

Praise be to Allaah.

We put this question to Shaykh Muhammad ibn
‘Uthaymeen, who answered as follows:

They have to evaluate the price of the mosque first, and build
another mosque in another place and take possession of it, then they can do whatever they
wish.

Questioner:

They say, “At the moment we cannot afford to build another
mosque, and we cannot sell this mosque, so can we rent it out?” They say, “We
cannot sell it.”

Shaykh:

Why not?

Questioner:

Because according to the system in that kaafir country, this
mosque is registered with the city as real estate that cannot be sold.

Shaykh:

If that is the case, then it is OK. They can rent it out and put
the rent towards the expenses for other mosques.